Toro Rosso confident about Ferrari KERS

Toro Rosso will be using a Ferrari-made Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) in 2011, with the Faenza-based squad having not deployed the component when it was first present in Formula 1 two years ago.

‘We are fortunate in that we are using the Ferrari KERS system, which proved effective when they used it in 2009,’ reads an article on the Scuderia Toro Rosso team website. ‘The men from Maranello have a good knowledge of all the practical aspects of running the system.

‘In conjunction with Ferrari we are running a training program prior to testing, so that we do the maximum possible in order to ensure the highest level of safety for the guys and to make sure we deal adequately with the electrical side of the KERS.’

However, using the system will involve a more hazardous garage area, with cars’ bodyworks often charged and able to cause harmful electric shocks following laps on the circuit.

‘There will be times when we can behave exactly as previously, but in other situations we will restrict access to garage areas, if for example we are charging batteries or going through other procedures that require extra care,’ the STR site explains.

‘Some team members will have to wear and use special equipment and we have also been evaluating what effect this has on their normal tasks, such as changes to gloves or shoes. We have tried several iterations to choose the best possible equipment for the guys.’